Entry to Elmendorf Grand Prix Miche Bread Competition

The basics:

Thanks for considering participating in the 2nd annual “Le Grand Prix Elmendorf du Pain” (our humble bread competition!). This competition is modeled off a Parisian bread competition that aims to crown the best baguette in Paris. Our competition is broken into two categories: professional bakeries and amateurs (anybody baking from home!). Professional bakeries will compete to see who has the best baguette, while home bakers like you will compete this year to see who can craft the best miche. There will be a Parisian-inspired street festival for the public surrounding the competition from 12pm-4pm.

To participate in this competition we’re asking you to submit a miche for evaluation by our panel of judges. While our competition is light-hearted and fun we will be taking submissions seriously and judging them in as fair a way as possible! Submissions will be tasted blind and our panel of judges includes highly regarded bread experts and bakers. Our guidelines are designed to allow the judges to fairly compare submissions.

When: The competition will take place on Sunday, June 9th. Submissions must be dropped off between 9am-11am on June 9th at The East Cambridge Business Association office at 544 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02141. Winners will be announced during the street festival at 3pm on June 9th.

Cost to enter: we are asking participants to pay $35 to enter the contest. Space is limited and participants will receive a limited edition tote designed by a local artist for entering the contest. The fee will help cover the substantial cost of the event and prizes.

Prize: in addition to obvious bragging rights the winners will receive:

• 1st prize: a sweet trophy, a Pampshade baguette lamp, and a gift certificate to Elmendorf Baking Supplies.
• 2nd Prize: a sweet trophy, a small Pampshade bread lamp, and a gift certificate to Elmendorf Baking Supplies.
• 3rd Prize: a sweet trophy and a gift certificate to Elmendorf Baking Supplies.

Specific submission guidelines:

• Your baked miche must weigh between 1000-1600g (no cutting the loaf to make weight!).
• The only allowable ingredients are flour, water, salt, and leavening agents, including sourdough starter (yeast is allowed, but your loaf must mostly be leavened from sourdough). No inclusions (fruits, nuts, seeds etc.).
• At least 50% of the flour for the loaf must be unsifted whole grain from your local mill (like Elmendorf for instance!) We believe it’s important to promote the resurgent local milling movement, hence this requirement. Plus this is traditional for a miche!
• You must submit your ingredients for the judges.
• Bakers must live within within 60 miles of Boston or be based anywhere in Massachusetts. Loaves must be delivered by hand (no drones please).
• Submissions must be made and baked in a home kitchen (no baking your loaf at the local bakery).
• Submissions must be freeform (this means you can not bake it in a loaf pan). Baking in a Dutch oven is fine, although not necessary or traditional (and you would need a pretty big Dutch oven). Proofing in bannetons is also fine.

How the submissions will be judged:

Judges will be looking for the miche that best represents the rustic traditional style. Traditionally miche are very large round loaves, boasting lots of whole wheat/grain and at least partially leavened and flavored by sourdough. Submissions will be judged blind by a panel of several judges and evaluated on the following characteristics:

• Flavor (we’re looking for the miche with the most complex and nuanced flavor. While miche are at least partially–and often completely–leavened by sourdough, they should be balanced and not punch you in the face! This is traditionally a rustic loaf with complex flavor from the wheat and long fermentation).
• Aspect (how is the overall appearance of the loaf, is it well scored and shaped? We’re looking for a large, round loaf that is flatter than your average boule but not in anyway a pancake).
• Crumb (how is the texture, mouthfeel, and inside structure of the loaf? Is it properly open, are the holes random or even? We’re looking for a tighter, more even crumb with a texture that you can easily spread butter on).
• Bake quality (is the loaf properly baked or is it over or underbaked? Miche are meant to last quite a while and are best cut into a day or two after they are baked. So no warm loaves, please!).

Host or Publisher Elmendorf Baking Supplies